Arial Spraying of The Light Brown Apple Moth Put to a Halt
Michael Tyler, Staff Reporter

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has announced that aerial spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) in Monterey County has been halted until further notice.
Official notification from the CDFA stated, “Due to the issuance of a temporary restraining order in Monterey County, the Light Brown Apple Moth pheromone application on the Monterey Peninsula is suspended until further notice.”
“A restraining order is in effect, that’s the only information we have for now,” said Margarete Krik, CDFA Agricultural Aide.
The non-profit, public interest group HOPE (Helping Our Peninsula’s Environment)
filed motion Friday at Monterey County Superior Court Oct. 5 to halt the aerial spraying in cities along the Monterey Peninsula.
The second round of aerial spraying, using the pheromone LBAM-F, was originally scheduled Oct. 9 through 12 and would have covered a 60 square mile area spanning Marina’s Del Monte Boulevard in the north to Carmel’s 17 Mile Drive in the south. 
The aerial spraying is part of a 15 million dollar United States Department of Agriculture program called the Cooperative Light Brown Apple Moth Eradication Project. Both the CDFA and USDA believe the light brown apple moth is particularly hazardous because it can damage over 250 plant species including Monterey Pine, Central Coast cypress, redwoods, oaks and agricultural crops.

Those interested in receiving e-mail updates may sign up at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PDEP/lbam/lbam_main.html

The CDFA Hotline phone number is 1-800-491-1899
Visit their website at www.cdfa.ca.gov